Merck's hepatitis C drug granted priority review by FDA

WHITEHOUSE STATION, N.J. — The Food and Drug Administration granted priority review to an approval application for a hepatitis C drug made by Merck, the drug maker said Thursday.

Merck said the FDA would seek to complete its review of the application for the drug boceprevir within six months. Authorities in the European Union have granted expedited review as well.

“We are pleased that the FDA and [European Medicines Agency] have accepted boceprevir for expedited review,” Merck Research Labs president Peter Kim said. “Our goal is to be able to bring forward a new treatment option for patients living with hepatitis C, and we are now closer to that goal.”